Literacy rates in Medieval Europe
Our friend Sandra Pietron has a neighbor who is a professor of medieval studies at the U of M. Sandra asked her for the literacy rates in Europe at that time, and here is her response:
“…I don’t have figures for literacy in Europe as a whole. I do know that the highest literacy rate is thought to have been in Iceland. This is usually explained in part by the easy access to writing material, i.e., parchment (from sheepskins). But it is easy to think of collateral explanations, too: the richness and importance to society of the saga tradition, the need to spend much time indoors during certain seasons, and the importance of written law to the civilization.
The next highest rate is thought to have been in Florence, where the 14th-century chronicler Giovanni Villani reports 40%. He may be writing as a civic “booster,” but the merchant class did need to read and established schools for merchant’s sons
early. Merchant memoirs prove that some merchants even encouraged their grown sons to spend part of each day reading the Latin classics, in order to develop good judgment and prudence.
early. Merchant memoirs prove that some merchants even encouraged their grown sons to spend part of each day reading the Latin classics, in order to develop good judgment and prudence.
A fun book to read to become familiar with the practical uses of literacy for a merchant in 14th-century Tuscany is “The Merchant of Prato” by Iris Origo.”